Kwessi Dunes Lodge

Natural Selection Safaris, owners of Kwessi Dunes Lodge, are known for their low-key style and originality when it comes to safari lodges and Kwessi is no exception. The main area is all about the views of the expansive desert and distant sand dunes, and folding glass doors allow uninterrupted gazing whilst still keeping you cool. Inside, the thatched main lodge has a bar, library and fireplace (it gets chilly even in the desert), and outside, there’s a mini swimming pool, fire pit and several eating areas, open to the skies.

The 10 canvas-and-thatch-chalets (plus two family suites!) are sprinkled around the main area. Conical roofs and swinging hammocks are fun and quirky and inside, the décor is traditional with a touch of something different – think striped canvas and contemporary steel lamps mixed with old maps and leather chairs. All are air conditioned and have ensuite bathrooms with indoor and outdoor showers, but the real cherry on top is the alfresco ‘stargazer’ rooms at the back into which the beds can be moved to spend a night under the glittering stars.

Activities at Kwessi are focused around the incredible desert landscape. Nature drives and walks will reveal the desert-adapted wildlife (lots of springbok steenbok and kudu, as well as bat-eared foxes and gemsbok), whist hot air balloon safaris and quad biking will show you the terrain from a slightly different perspective! Visits to the iconic red dunes of Sossusvlei are available – make sure to book in a climb to Big Daddy at sunrise – as well as to the fossilised trees of Deadvlei, and heli flights can be booked in advance too. And don’t forget about stargazing either; the NamibRand is the only Dark Sky Reserve in Africa and the celestial theatre shows are spectacular, especially from the outdoor beds.